Ashe leaned against the living room wall and watched as the girls under her care laughed and bickered over the delivered Chinese food.  Just a day prior there had been no life in their eyes, broken girls who were resigned to their fate.  Now, they were giggling about slurping noodles rather than dreading what some man might force upon them. 

Ashe knew they needed therapy, that what she could offer them was far from the best solution, but she was going to do the best she could.  There were a few uneasy glances sent her way, the red bandana she wore would certainly warrant them.  She was all over the news now, and the bodies left behind were still being recovered.  Sure, not all of those deaths were caused by her, but Ashe had pulled the trigger with intent to kill, she had executed a man.  There was no denying that she was dangerous. 

She kind of liked the feeling.  

Whatever people had seen of her at school, she must have been showing it as she walked, the way she carried herself.  She would need to be careful around her parents, the last thing she needed was for them to pick up on something being different.  She might just need to open up to them about fighting Gray and his buddies, let them think anything they might have noticed was a result of that. 

Manipulating her parents was a thought that Ashe would have found distasteful just weeks earlier, but the path she had chosen would require that and more.  She only had a few more months under their roof, then she would be free to move out and the lies would decrease in scope, she could attribute changes more to her continued training with Kyle and Eric, plus getting used to working firearms with a less than reliable hand. 

She still got phantom pains and twinges from the numb fingers.  She’d tried typing on a keyboard but her fingers just couldn’t do much, nevermind how she struggled to work a controller.  The fingers that were numb weren’t even the ones needed for playing, but the coordination with her thumb was still affected negatively.  She’d already decided to quit her raid group, she was just delaying making the exit official. 

That hurt, but she had bigger prey now.  At the time, the adrenaline kept her going, but looking back?  She’d been terrified, each snap of a bullet being fired filling her with dread, like that instant a roller coaster started to drop, not knowing if that bullet would end you.  Fighting with her life on the line was a rush unlike any she had ever experienced.  Worse, Ashe wanted to feel that again, and she wasn’t sure how to process that.

“Thinking heavy thoughts?” Crystal muttered, voice low so as to not be overheard. 

Ashe nodded, keeping her gaze on the girls.  Jessica was right there with them, laughing, but her eyes were a bit distant, and she kept glancing back to the door.  Rachel had reached out, and they wanted to meet up, but no plans were made.  That was another point in Jessica’s favor if she wasn’t going behind her back to do things. 

Keeping a close eye on her would be impossible once even a shred of independence was claimed, but the early signs were at least promising.  It was weird, having power over her tormentor, and even weirder to see a deferring sort of respect being given. 

“I know they’re still adjusting,” Ashe said, just as softly, “but they can’t stay here forever, and I don’t have enough money to support them long term, not yet at least.” 

Crystal snorted.  “I talked to Hunter a few hours ago, he’s got an initial estimate on the take from last night.” 

“I’m listening,” Ashe said slowly. 

“One million, three hundred thousand in cash,” Crystal said, and Ashe couldn’t help but whistle.  “Each.” 

“But, we didn’t find nearly that much,” Ashe muttered. 

Crystal waved a hand.  “No, but the safe apparently had a lot more in it.” 

Ashe’s breath caught in a hitch.  She was a millionaire, just like that?  Her feet were suddenly unsteady beneath her as her own breaths turned shallow and rapid.  The world contracted just a bit around the edges as Crystal helped steady her. 

Crystal chuckled.  “The drugs though, if we sell them would easily double that.” 

Ashe would deny it to the grave that she squeaked.

“And I have a group of girls looking for work,” Ashe said, her voice almost shrill as she struggled to recover her composure.  “Fuck, we could actually start carving out our own niche with this.” 

“We could,” Crystal said hesitantly.  “Do you want to do that though?  I know you had plans to move away, and I’ll admit to being more than tempted to follow you.” 

Ashe looked at Crystal, really looked at her.  That was the closest thing she’d heard to a commitment yet, and it sent a thrill through her not all that different to the rush of the firefight.  She would really just drop everything and go, even at the risk of her father getting pissy about it? 

“What about your brother?” Ashe asked.  “I thought you were staying because of him.” 

Crystal hummed.  “I was.  He’s in the same grade as you, but attends Victory Rock.” 

Ashe winced.  Victory Rock had a reputation, it was Christian run for one thing, and believed in military levels of discipline.  She’d mentioned her brother was gay, but not out, and now it made more sense.  VR was one of the places rich fucks sent their kids to ‘cure’ their homosexuality or other deviances.  More than one person had offered to sponsor Ashe’s own admission just to get her out of Halsey High. 

Naturally she told them to get fucked. 

“He’s planning to leave too, isn’t he?” she asked. 

“Soon as he legally can,” Crystal said.  “Sure, daddy dearest will be pissed as fuck, but he’ll spin it as us falling to sin or going woke or some shit so his followers will eat it up.” 

Ashe wanted to argue, but she knew how easily those buzzwords and phrases could swing the masses.  “Which means you no longer have any anchors to this city.” 

“You would be the last one,” Crystal said softly.  “Do you really want to get so involved with the criminal elements that you can’t just walk away?  I get it, you’ve got a reputation now, you have money and resources, but do you really want to anchor yourself into a life that has an abysmal life expectancy?” 

“I know my parents say it’s bad,” Ashe started, but Crystal held up her hand. 

“Ashe, Alejandro is twenty four, and he’s the second oldest leader in the cartels.” 

She winced.  “Who’s the oldest?” 

“Yessina, but the Viuda aren’t targeted for violence like the cartels can be.  She’s in her thirties, best anyone can figure.  Her predecessor died younger.” 

“So if I stay, I’d be lucky to last five years?” Ashe asked, already knowing the answer.  She shook her head, looking back at the girls.  “It feels like nobody gives a shit about how bad things are in this city.  The corruption is so deeply rooted that removing it feels impossible.” 

“It probably is,” Crystal agreed.  “We’d be better off taking the money we accumulate over the next few months and moving out of the country come summer.  We could head somewhere nice that won’t ask many questions, get the money on the books then leg it for Norway or New Zealand.  I’m leaning the latter just to avoid a land war if WW3 breaks out.” 

“You’ve given this a lot of thought,” Ashe said, feeling a sort of pride in the woman for actually having a plan. 

“Well, that was the plan,” Crystal said, turning to look at her directly.  Ashe’s breath caught at the intensity in her gaze.  “Then I met you.”

Her heart was hammering in her chest, her palms clammy, and she couldn’t seem to find her breath.  Ashe had never had someone make such a declaration, not since her parents adopted her at least, and that was so very different besides.

“I don’t know,” Ashe admitted.  “I suppose all we can really do is see where the chips have fallen come graduation.” 

“I suppose the city should bow to her new overlord then,” Crystal said, chuckling, though there was no humor to it. 

Ashe sighed and pushed off the wall.  “Everyone full?”  The girls nodded even as Jessica moved to Ashe’s right side.  “Alright, as you know, I’m not a big player in the city, not yet at least.  Thing is, one doesn’t become a player without resources and minions, and I seem to have come into both.” 

“This is so weird,” Jessica muttered before speaking up in Spanish, repeating Ashe’s words to those who needed the translation.

Ashe nodded to her, the translation was a bit wooden, but far better than she would have managed with just two years of the language under her belt.  “So, how about a round of introductions followed by what roles you might be interested in pursuing?  I will stress, I won’t make anyone do something they don’t want to.” 

“This mean I won’t have to turn tricks no more?” one girl asked. 

Ashe’s chest tightened, the girl couldn’t be older than her, hell, she was probably under sixteen.  “I’d rather nobody under eighteen do that sort of work.”

Two of the girls scoffed. 

“Look,” Ashe said rather sharply.  “I’m not looking to be as bad as the fucking fascists, alright?  I have some standards.” 

“You think running drugs is any better?” an older girl asked, her English heavily accented.  “We know what it takes to survive on the streets.  We’ve all done it for years, so don’t patronize us because you were privileged enough to avoid that.” 

Ashe swallowed, her mind drifting back to the weeks following her birth mother’s death, how she was left adrift.  “I understand better than you think, but you’re right, I only had to spend a week on the streets before I lucked out.” 

Following the attempt to send her to conversion therapy, she’d run away.  If it hadn’t been for her mom finding her and bringing her back in, she might have stayed on the streets, selling herself for access to the medication she needed.  She narrowly avoided that fate, and she refused to inflict it upon others. 

“Bleeding heart,” the oldest among them muttered.  “Seeing as I’m over your arbitrary line in the sand, I think I’ll stick with what I know.” 

Ashe wilted, her shoulders dropping as she did.  “I need someone to get in close to the Viuda, I got some information that someone in their ranks is involved with the abductions.  I need confirmation before I can trust them fully.” 

“I can do that,” she said with a firm nod.  “Don’t discount the skillsets of those around you, even if you find them distasteful.” 

Ashe sighed.  “Thank you.  We have drugs that need moved, is anyone willing to work with Headhunter on that?” 

The three youngest girls stepped forward, one of which had to be fourteen at most.  Ashe’s stomach churned, she wanted to throw up at the thought of using children as tools.  The knowledge that she was going to pay them, make sure they had homes and were taken care of, did little to settle her conscience. 

“I suppose the rest of you want to work with…”  Ashe trailed off, glancing at the older woman. 

“Caralina,” she said. 

Ashe simply gestured, watching as all but one of the remaining girls joined her.  That last girl stepped forward hesitantly, not to Ashe, but to Jessica.  Her lip was quivering, her hands fidgeting with her sleeves as she glared up at the girl. 

“What will you be doing?” 

Jessica glanced aside, and Ashe nodded.  “Inferno asked me to help her run things.” 

“Of course the soft white girl gets to be in charge of us,” the girl snarled, and it soon became clear she was shaking from anger, not fear.  “What gives you the fucking right?” 

“Because the flame is also a soft white girl, Brie,” Caralina said.  “They know each other, that much is obvious, though I don’t think they like one another.” 

“You’d be correct,” Ashe said, attempting to rein in the situation.  “Jessica was a right bitch, and I intend to keep her under my thumb until I know she can be trusted.  Keep your enemies close certainly applies.” 

The girl, Brie, spat, then stomped off to join Caralina, crossing her arms as she did, daring someone to defy her.  Ashe wanted to say something, but to do so would undermine her further.  She had to accept the loss, and lamented yet another blemish on her already crumbling morals that she wasn’t going to prevent it. 

Crystal placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and it took Ashe everything she had to not lean into the touch.  “Okay, you’ve made your choices, just know that you can leave at any point, I won’t stop you.  This is voluntary, and I will be looking to expand, but I need anyone brought on at this point to be vetted.” 

“You won’t be able to keep that up forever,” Caralina said.  “Expand enough and you will eventually pick up people that will take money to sell information.” 

“I know,” Ashe said softly.  “That’s why I need leaders I can trust.  Anyone who wants the position, and proves themselves, will be brought in on further plans as I make them.  For now, I just want to undo the traffickers, anything further will come with time.” 

Caralina chuckled.  “Well, you could be more naive, I suppose.  I want to see them destroyed as well, so I suppose that’s an acceptable arrangement.” 

“We can always revisit it if my ambitions grow,” Ashe agreed.  “Jessica, get with Headhunter and figure out the best way to start distributing the drugs.  I want as much of the cash flow kept in house as possible, no between steps where we don’t control things.” 

“Got it,” Jessica said softly.  “Anything else you need me to do?” 

“Just let me know if you want to meet Rachel, I want to be there the first time,” Ashe said, patting her shoulder.  “I don’t like either of you, you were cruel bitches for shit reasons, but I’m not like either of you.  You need friends, and she is the last one you have, the only one that cared you were missing.  I won’t deprive that of you.”

Ashe then turned to the other girls.  “The same goes to the rest of you.  Any friends or family you want to reach out to, run it by us, we’ll help keep you safe in doing so.  I know that sounds controlling, but I don’t want them running off to tell someone that might end up sending you right back to an abuser, or worse.” 

“Fucking bleeding hearts,” Caralina muttered.  “I’ll start looking for a place so the girls and I can set up shop.  I know this is just a temporary shelter and don’t want to impose longer than we must.” 

“Thank you,” Ashe said.  “Send Jessica the information, we’ll work out a way to pay for things until money starts coming in and we can revisit things.” 

“I’ll likely expand,” Caralina said.  “Am I allowed to bring more girls in?” 

With a heavy sigh, Ashe sold off another portion of her innocence.  “Only if they’re willing and it won’t bring unwanted heat down on us.” 

Caralina nodded and pulled her girls off to the side, discussing something with them in Spanish that Ashe couldn’t quite follow.  Crystal grabbed her hand and it was only then that Ashe realized it had been trembling.  She’d given ground on so much in such a short time, and she knew the lines would only continue to dissolve as the situation demanded.

She wasn’t looking forward to the next time she was going to have to look herself in the mirror.

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